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| BHUBANESWAR TRAVEL GUIDE Bhubaneswar is the capital and largest city of state of Orissa,. Once the capital of ancient Kalinga, the city has a long history and is today a center for commerce and religious activity. However, the modern city of Bhubaneswar was designed by the German architect Otto Königsberger in 1936. It became the modern capital of the state of Orissa in 1948, a year after India gained its independence from Britain. With its vast variety of hindu temples, Bhubaneswar is often referred to as the temple city of India The history of the Bhubaneswar-Khurda region goes back 2000 years. Emperor Kharavela established his capital in Sisupalgarh which is on the outskirts of the city. The Hathigumpha inscriptions at the Udayagiri caves and Khandagiri caves are evidence of the region's antiquity. Modern Bhubaneswar was originally meant to be a well planned city with wide roads and many gardens and parks. The plan was made by Otto H. Koenigsberger, a German town planner. . Though part of the city has stayed faithful to the plan, it has grown rapidly over the last few decades and has made the planning process unwieldy. Having merged its intriguing past so uniquely with its modern aspirations, it forms an integral link in the Golden Triangle that incorporates the holy city of Puri and Konark. The area is attractive to tourists for its spiritual significance. To the east are the famous Sun temple of Konark and the Jagannath Temple of Puri. The Lingaraj Temple of old Bhubaneswar, built in the 11th century, is another temple noted for its ancient history. The Khandagiri and Dhauligiri, situated on the outskirts of the city, carry monuments of the Jain monks since the times of the great king Kharavela. Another such monument is the Shantistupa, which was built as a symbol of peace at the site where the great Kalinga War took place between Emperor Ashoka and Kalinga (the old empire of Orissa). Bhubaneswar is known for its architecture and ancient temples The imposing spire of the Lingaraj Temple, the quiet beauty of the Vishwa Shanti Stupa and the pink translucence of the Mahavira Jain Temple in nearby Khandagiri, inspire feelings of wonder at their sheer beauty and their cross--cultural permutations. The State Museum of Bhubaneswar offers an extensive selection of archaeological artifacts, weapons, local arts and crafts as well as insights into Orissa's natural and tribal history. The Tribal Research Institute Museum with its authentic tribal dwellings, created by the tribal craftsmen offers a bird's eye view of the State's tribal heritage. GENERAL INFORMATION Time zone IST (UTC+5:30) Area 135 km² (52 sq mi) Elevation 33 m (108 ft) District(s) Khurda Population 800,000 est. (2005) Density 4,900/km² (12,691/sq mi) PLACE TO VISIT The Lingaraj temple - The 10th or 11th-century Lingaraja temple of Bhubaneswar has been described as "the truest fusion of dream and reality." A rare masterpiece, the Lingaraja temple has been rated one of the finest examples of purely Hindu temple in India by Ferguson, the noted art critic and historian. Every inch of the surface of the 55 m-high Lingaraja temple is covered with elaborate carvings. Sculpture and architecture fused elegantly to create a perfect harmony. Foreigners are not permitted inside. However there is a viewing platform next to one of the boundary walls. Bindu sarovara - is a large lake near to Lingaraj and Ananta Vasudeva temples where there is a drop (bindu) of every holy river in it. Khandagiri & Udayagiri - The twin hills, 8 km from Bhubaneswar, served as the site of an ancient Jain monastery which was carved into cave like chambers in the face of the hill. Dating back to the 2nd century BC, some of the caves have beautiful carvings. The Rani Gumpha (Queen's Cave), one of the largest and double- storied, is ornately embellished with beautiful carvings. In the Hati Gumpha (Elephant Cave), King Kharavela has carved out the chronicles of his reign. Dhauli Giri - is 8 km away from Bhubaneswar looking down on the plains that bore witness to the gruesome war waged on Kalinga by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka, stand the rock edicts of Dhauli. It was here that King Ashoka, full of remorse after the Kalinga War in 261 BC, renounced his blood-thirsty campaign and turned to Buddhism. The edicts are a living testimony to the King's change of heart. He urges his administrators to rule the land with justice and compassion. The edicts are so remarkable that they have been excellently preserved, despite the fact that they date back to the 3rd century BC. A sculpted elephant, the symbol of the boundless powers of Lord Buddha, tops the rock edicts. The Shanti Stupa or the peace pagoda, built through the Indo-Japanese collaboration, is located on the opposite hill. Mukteshwara Temple - dating back to 10th century is an important transition point between the early and the later phases of the Kalinga architecture. The highlight of the temple is the magnificent torana - the decorative gateway, an arched masterpiece, reminiscent of Buddhist influence in Orissa. This temple is considered to be the gem of Orissan architecture. The beautiful sculptures eloquently speak of the sense of proportion and perspective of the sculptor and their unique ability in the exact depiction of the minutest objects. Mukteswara means "Lord who gives freedom through Yoga". Rajarani Temple - got its name from a red- gold sand stone used, which is called Rajarani locally and the temple has no presiding deity. The temple has intricately carved figurines in various stages of daily chores. The Orissa state museum - houses a rich collection of sculptures, coins, copper plates, stone inscriptions, lithic and bronze age tools, rare manuscripts written on palm leaves, traditional and folk musical instruments. Rare epigraphic records are preserved in the Epigraphy Gallery. Sri Sri Krishna Balarama Mandir - Non-Hindus and foreigners who desire to visit a Hindu temple can go to this temple (ask the autorickshaw drivers for ISKCON,situated on NH5 it costs about Rs. 40 from town) - the devotees are friendly and there is a cheap and clean vegetarian restaurant. Nandankanan Zoo is about 15 km outside of Bhubaneswar and has some rare species of animals. HOW TO REACH By plane - Indian (formerly Indian Airlines) opeartes flight nos. IC 877/ 878 on the Bhubaneswar-Delhi route and flight nos. IC 7541/ 7542 on the Kolkata- Bhubaneswar-Chennai route. Indian Airlines also operates a flight from Mumbai (Mumbai - Raipur - Bhubaneswar - Mumbai). Check Flight Schedule * Sahara Airlines operates flight no. S2 6143/ 6144 on the Bhubaneswar-Delhi route and flight no. S2 6315/ 6316 on the Kolkata-Bhubaneswar-Hyderabad-Bangalore route. ) Check Flight Status . * Airdeccan operates a morning flight daily from Mumbai,Delhi,Hyderabad,Banglore, Chennai(DN-761 and DN762) and 2 flights daily from Kolkata (DN642 and DN555). * There are also Kingfisher Airlines flights to hyderabad to delhi once a day. By train - Bhubaneswar is situated on the East Coast line from Kolkata to Chennai and is well connected by direct train service to most major Indian cities. By road - Bhubaneshwar is situated on the National Highway no.5 that runs between Kolkata and Chennai. It is 480 kms from Kolkata, 445 kms from Visakhapatnam, 1225 kms from Chennai, 32 kms from Cuttack, 130 kms from Chilika Lake (Barkul), 184 kms from Gopalpur-on-sea, 64 kms from Konark, 62 kms from Puri. From Bhubaneswar after traveling 20 Kms there is a place known as Pipili. This place is famous for patching cloth design locally known as Chandua. From the center of Pipili market one has to take left turn to go towards Konark and the straight road goes to Puri. Here is a comparable Journey duration by road from three places to each other. Bhubaneswar to Konark – 65 Kms – Two hours Konark to Puri - 35 Kms - One hour Puri to Bhubaneswar - 60 Kms – Two hours |